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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27156725">The Leap</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ollypopp/pseuds/ollypopp'>ollypopp</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Opia [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, The Mandalorian (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Blood and Injury, Explicit Language, F/M, First Kiss, First Time, Fluff and Smut, Mutual Pining, Reader-Insert</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 23:27:45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>15,874</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27156725</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ollypopp/pseuds/ollypopp</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When you two first met, you were the one who took the leap. Who asked him to let you come along – now he felt like it was his turn. Asking you to take a leap of faith and venture into something with him blindly. [Takes place at the beginning of the Opia Series]</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Din Djarin/Reader, Din Djarin/You</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Opia [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1819384</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>180</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>PedroPascalPit</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This was a request over on tumblr, someone wanted a drabble and I ended up giving them all of this.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After the showdown with Moff Gideon, Din set out to try and track down where the child's home planet was located. A month or two passed where he was unsuccessful in the search and there was not even a hint of a lead. He sorely needed money for fuel, food, and repairs and that led him back to Nevarro where he grabbed some bounties from Greef Karga.</p><p>One of the fobs led him to the ice planet of Vandor. </p><p>The only notable hub of civilization was a settlement called Fort Ypso, so he docked and immediately headed toward the only inn. You were working behind the bar at the cantina, cleaning dishes, and keeping conversation with some locals until a small dip in sound signaled his arrival. Vandor got enough visitors that a new face was not necessarily something to stare about, but Mandalorians were few and far between.  </p><p>Usually, he didn’t mind that the beskar attracted attention, but when every head in the bar turned to look at him and the kid -- it felt a little vulnerable. </p><p>You gave him a simple once over with raised eyebrows and asked, “what can I do for you?”</p><p>He arranged lodging and food, thankful that it would be something besides the dried meats he kept on the ship. You showed him to his room, and he thought that would be the end of it. Settling in, he set his rifle aside while waiting on food to arrive and letting the little one explore the new surroundings. When you returned with the meal there were a couple thick and fluffy blankets tucked under your arm, and you offered those to him as well. </p><p>“You’re gonna need those extra layers out there,” you told him pointing to a tattered black shirt whose sleeve was hanging out of the pram, “the little one can snuggle up in these.” </p><p>Din, still lacking some essentials, had stuffed the kid into his carrier with every flimsy blanket from the <em>Crest</em> and some extra shirts. Was he so obviously unprepared? He was still learning how to do the parenting thing, and he felt like he was flying blind and making it up as he went. </p><p>He normally was against just taking things without some kind of trade happening but you were right. Vandor was freezing, the bounty was hiding in the surrounding mountains, and he had no one to watch the kid for him. Those blankets were a small gesture but he was grateful. </p><p>Especially once he actually started his hunt. </p><p>The Mandalorian much-preferred desert planets to most others. Forested planets made it hard to watch his surroundings and big city planets were even worse with all the noise and people running around. He never much minded cold planets because the bounties normally stayed as close to civilization as they could. </p><p><em>Most</em> bounties did, anyway.</p><p>This quarry was smart, and obviously very capable since they were hiding so far away from the fort. Din would wake at sunup, gather what intel he could get, and then begin hiking out into the freezing hell that was Vandor. Every night at sundown he had to trek back to the inn so the baby didn’t die of exposure. It ended up being one of the longer hunts he had done, simply because he could not just tough it out and endure how the temperature dropped once the sun went down. </p><p>When he finally caught the bounty it was almost three weeks later, and the hike back through the mountains with an unconscious body was long and arduous. He was exhausted. He put the quarry in carbonite on the ship and headed back to the inn because there was no way he could pilot the ship with how tired he was and the last thing he wanted was to offer the kid a ration bar let alone eat one himself after the day they had. </p><p>He damn near stumbled into the inn, just barely making it seem like he was not asleep on his feet. Relief washed over him when he noticed it was you working behind the bar. Your fellow bartenders were a little cautious of him, asking questions and making him feel generally unwelcome. But you didn’t seem to mind, and sometimes you were even a warm presence in comparison. He was too tired to deal with suspicion and interrogative questions. He only wanted one thing.</p><p>“Soup. For the both of us. Please.” </p><p>His voice was ragged as it passed through the vocoder. The Mandalorian was bigger than life in all that armor, but after seeing him come back in and order food everyday for the past few weeks even you could tell his shoulders were slumping forward with his hands hanging limp at his side. The child sneezed behind him, and flecks of ice were stuck in what little hair was on his wrinkled head.</p><p>“Go to your room and warm-up. I’ll bring it by.” </p><p>“Thank you.” </p><p>The helmet didn’t really give a read on how he actually felt, but there was the slightest crack in his voice that told you he was grateful. </p><p>Din planned on leaving the next morning, wanting to turn in his haul and get paid so he could get back to his duty to the kid. Before he went to leave, he came up to the bar to return the extra blankets and to leave you a very decent tip as a thank you for your generosity. He thanked you, careful to use your name when did, as he set them on the counter with a pile of credits. You stared at the offering for a moment, and for the first time since he arrived you looked uncertain, but you lifted your chin and spoke confidently. </p><p>“You can keep the blankets,” you said, “if you let me come with you.” </p><p>It was bold of you and you knew that. You thought he would just leave after finding his quarry, not expecting him to misunderstand that the blankets were a gift not a loan. It seemed like a sign from the Maker or the Force or whatever the fuck was out there that he stopped to speak with you before he took off. This was your chance. The worst he could say was no, so you decided to shoot your shot.</p><p>The Mandalorian’s helmet tilted ever slightly. “What?”</p><p>“You’re a very good bounty hunter,” you complimented, “I honestly didn’t think you were gonna find that guy out there. Not many can successfully finish a hunt here, let alone catch a bounty while carting around a baby.”</p><p>“And?”</p><p>“<em>And</em> it still took you three weeks. You need someone to look after your kid while you’re out hunting.” you waited for a beat, searching the helmet for any kind of hint that he was able to be convinced. Of course, it yielded nothing. “I’m okay with kids -- I helped out with the younger ones at the orphanage here. I can look after him while you’re out kicking ass and taking names.”</p><p>There was a long pause as he mulled over your little pitch. His kid was not just an orphan left in the Empire’s wake. He was part of some long-forgotten sorcerer race, and you might have to do more than just look after him. They were, after all, both being hunted. But the offer of help was...tempting.</p><p>Keeping up maintenance on the <em>Razor Crest</em>, caring for the baby, and trying to hunt was becoming a bit too much for him to handle on his own. There was a constant nagging in the back of his mind: how long had it been since the kid had eaten? Was he warm enough? Was he too warm? </p><p>It felt overwhelming, and a little bit hopeless. The life of a bounty hunter was not an easy one, to begin with, and adding a child to the mix was pushing him past his limits. He could keep you on the crew for a few rounds of bounties, save up his credits, and get back to his mission, just to give himself a little break.</p><p>“Can you fly?” he asked, and after you nodded he tacked on, “can you do you repairs?”</p><p>“I can definitely learn.” </p><p>Even though the helmet was blank, his stillness and lack of immediate response suggested that wasn’t the best answer.</p><p>“Okay, here’s the thing,” you said quickly trying to recover any ground you lost, “I can’t afford a ship of my own and I want off this damn ice block.” You explained quickly, “I need a ride and a job. You need help when it comes to the kid -- it works out for both of us. You don’t have to pay me much, and I’ll learn how to be more helpful with repairs.”</p><p>He thought of Kuiil and Cara and Omera and how screwed he would have been if he had not given them a chance to prove they were trustworthy. He was never the type to have friends before, but he counted them as such and was better off for it. </p><p>With all the access you had to him and the kid for the past few weeks it was clear that if you wanted to hurt him or sell him out you could have already done so. He was still cautious but willing to believe that your intentions were good.  </p><p>“Fine.” </p><p>“Really?” you were shocked, it was written all over your face. </p><p>“Yes,” he said dryly. “Get whatever things you need, we’re leaving before sundown.”</p><p>He didn’t give you much time and that was on purpose just to see if you would argue. But you didn’t. </p><p>You nodded, grinning from ear to ear, and ran out the door. A little while later you came back with a couple of bags and what supplies you had to give from your own home. Almost as if you had been packed and ready to go long before you asked. </p><p>You did not have many goodbyes to offer except to your regular patrons and your boss (who was flummoxed by your sudden resignation but couldn’t do much but stare with her mouth open) and you walked with the Mandalorian to his ship. You didn’t even have it in you to pretend to look sad as the <em>Crest </em>pulled out of Vandor’s atmosphere.</p><hr/><p>In those first weeks, all Din could think of was how the <em>Razor Crest</em> was so much louder than normal. After a few months had passed since he added you to the meager crew, you and the child had bonded enough that he was very verbal around you. As of yet, he had not said anything clear in Basic or in Mando’a but he swore the kid understood and was picking it all up fast. Especially now that he had two people talking at him. </p><p>You talked more than he did; he could always hear you while he was in the cockpit. Most of the time it was you thinking out loud but when the kid got chatty he could hear you responding overdramatically. The kid would make noises and you would reply with something like “he did NOT say that to you!” or “are you serious?”</p><p>He absolutely hated it. </p><p>He was used to people joining him in small bouts. People he already knew, and who were not quite as talkative as you were. He had to adjust. But the kid loved how much you engaged with him. He was so confident and loud in his responses not mention <em>he giggled for the first time</em> and it was because of your nonsensical talking at him -- so Din could never tell you to stop. </p><p>It made the moments where you were strangely quiet stand out. He never asked but if he had to guess those were probably the harder days, where you were tired or frustrated or homesick. </p><p>Those were the times he wondered if he should be the talkative one and inquire about your wellbeing but the two of you had not been able to connect. It was something he was acutely aware of, and he, admittedly, never really gave you a reason to be open with him.</p><p>He was sure not to be rude but he was not exactly the best socializer in the galaxy. The conversations you two had fizzled out very shortly after they started, and they were only getting marginally better as time wore on. </p><p>Sometimes when you sat in the co-pilot’s chair he would try to think of something to say, but every time he did it only started a conversation that lasted a few minutes. You would give him a little tidbit about yourself, a small glimpse at the person you seemed to be so freely around the kid but anything he wanted to say back to you seemed impossible to vocalize.</p><p>If you were upset with your new profession, you never showed it much. It was obvious you liked the kid, and that you were excited to see new planets. If one pleased you more than others you’d gasp slightly when you first laid eyes on it. So far Lothal, Felucia, and Lah’Mu had been your favorites, judging by the sharp intake of air and the way you grinned the entire time you were there.</p><p>He felt a little bad every time you asked him about the plants or the animals on a planet and he had no answer for you. A simple shrug or ‘don’t know’ was often his response to any questions, but it never seemed to dampen your spirits. </p><p>Sometimes you’d tease: “Well what do you know, Mando?”</p><p>And since he could never find something clever to say back he just walked away. </p><p>The desert planets were rough for you, having grown up in an extremely cold environment. When he had a bounty on Jakku you took it in with curiosity, but after a couple of hours you wilted like a flower in the sun. Sweat beaded on your forehead, and your eyelids drooped while you slowly followed behind him like all the energy had been zapped out of you. </p><p>“Go wait on the Crest.” </p><p>“No,” you frowned a little, “you get to hunting. I’ll grab some parts -- “</p><p>He said, “the kid… He doesn’t like the heat.” </p><p>He knew<em> you </em>weren’t used to all that heat, and you looked miserable. The kid looked at him, tilting his head to the side a bit as if he knew Din was lying. In all fairness, Din had no clue whether the kid liked the heat or not. You were just more likely to go back if you thought it was better for the baby. </p><p>He stood stiffly, trying hard not to shift any weight or move his head to look away from the somewhat confused look you were giving him. His mouth was horribly dry and he felt like he was going to jump out of his skin with you looking at him like that. He knew you couldn’t see him, and the beskar was the only thing saving him from feeling like one giant exposed nerve.</p><p>Your frown deepened but went to turn back towards the <em>Crest</em>. “Um...okay. Be safe out there, Mando.”</p><p>While you trailed back to the ship, you could not help but think that while Mando was nice enough it sometimes felt as if he only tolerated you being around. Talking to him was sometimes like pulling teeth. That helmet gave nothing away, and his silence along with the blankness staring back at you always discouraged you from going any further. It was a strictly professional relationship, you were not even friends but colleagues. </p><p>Your only real companionship was with a toddler and you wouldn’t mind an actual conversation with an adult sometimes but Mando stayed out of your way so it was safe to assume he wanted you to stay out of his. You could deal with that. You wanted to see the galaxy, and so far that’s what you had gotten to do.</p><p>It really only stung when mealtimes came around. Mando still treated it like it was some private event; he and the baby would disappear for the entire meal and eating alone was unusual for you. Sure, you hadn’t had family around for a while but you would always eat most of your meals with someone at the cantina. Mealtimes were the only moments you ever really felt homesick. </p><p>After the hunt on Jakku was over, there was one last fob he had before it was time to head to Nevarro and collect. </p><p>The food situation was not always ideal on the <em>Razor Crest</em>, but since you were able to take care of restocking necessities while he was out looking for his quarries things were much better than before. After getting on course in hyperspeed, he came down to the hull where you were setting up three plates of food. He grabbed his and the kids. </p><p>“I have the nav set up to go off when we need to jump out,” he said. </p><p>After months of dinner time going the same way you knew what to do. “I’ll eat up there so we don’t miss it.” </p><p>“Thank you.” </p><p>“You’re welcome.” </p><p>You had perfected getting up into the cockpit with a plate of food balanced on one hand. It was your new special talent. Sitting alone up there with the stars racing by was at least a little nicer than simply being left in the hull by yourself. </p><p>You heard a high pitched squeal from below and your curiosity got the best of you. Creeping towards the hole that led to the hull, you leaned in to listen. The kid was babbling about something incomprehensible. There were little hints here and there, bursts of syllables that almost sounded like words with the right inflections. </p><p>The mumble of a response from Mando could be heard, low enough that you couldn’t understand what he was saying. They went back and forth like that for a moment, and just when you were about to move away from eavesdropping you heard it.</p><p>"Stop playing with it,” Mando said, “eat it."</p><p>The child made another babbled remark, mimicking his tone. </p><p>And the Mandalorian laughed in response. </p><p>It was soft, a gentle little chuckle, but definitely a laugh. Not tinny or filtered through any kind of modulator. That was when it occurred to you that the helmet was off. </p><p>You felt like an absolute idiot; of course, the helmet was off. Mando was a person underneath all of the beskar. But he was so detached from you that you sort of forgot that in order to eat, he would have to remove it. It made so much more sense that he always hid away with the kid, or found something trivial for you to do while he ate. </p><p>The fact that he wanted to share meals with the baby made a little grin split your face, and a warm feeling spread through your chest. All the hurt feelings you had about it seemed so silly and you felt even sillier for not realizing it before. Hearing them talk to each other kept that smile plastered on your face, and you had to tear yourself away to go back to the pilot’s chair. </p><p>When he came up to relieve you, you made no mention of what you had overheard, but the moment stuck with you as you settled in to rest before you had to take over again. </p><p>That little glimpse at the man underneath the helmet made you incredibly curious, and from then on you really started to try and figure out who he was. Now that you were really looking, you could see it just a little more clearly. It was in the way his head tilted when you spoke, a small suggestion that he was listening and interested in hearing more. Or the way his shoulders let go of tension when he came back from a hunt and saw that the kid was safe.</p><p>It made talking to him easier, and after a little while, you could tell it was easier for him to talk to you too. Not perfect, by any means, but there was progress being made and you weren’t about to try and push it to go fast. </p><p>Things fell into somewhat of a routine, as much as one can create in the lifestyle he led. The ship would land, Din would go out hunting and you would take the kid along with you to pick up any supplies or parts needed for repairs before heading out again. </p><p>You had no business being out there hunting with him, you were a fine shot but you were not much of a fighter when it came down to it. Din just left you with a blaster before he went on his way, satisfied that with a whole ship and a blaster at your disposal you could handle yourself.</p><p>And you did until you were caught off guard. </p><p>You didn’t notice until you heard the footsteps on the ramp leading into the ship, the old metal always gave a little rattle and creak when stepped on in a certain spot. It was just something you had always noticed. Half-expecting it to be Mando, you turned around only to find a strange being behind you. They were tall and lanky but there were no other hints at who or what they might be underneath the mask that hid their entire face. Big round goggles blankly stared at you and there was some kind of breathing apparatus where their mouth would be. </p><p>“Can I help you?” you asked as calmly as you could. </p><p>Your heart had started beating harder in your chest the moment you realized it was not your companion. Hyper aware that the kid was in the pram right next to you, panic started to rear its ugly head. Your hand went to rest on your blaster, but they had their own pointed at you the moment you touched it. You raised your hands in surrender as an attempt to appease them.</p><p>“Where’s the bounty hunter?” they asked, voice garbled and mechanic. </p><p>“Out...you know, <em>bounty hunting</em>.” </p><p>“Cute,” the voice responded. “You got credits?” they asked and when you nodded they said, “hand them over.” Their hand was held out expectantly.</p><p>Your own funds and the unused credits Mando had given you for supplies felt heavy in the pouch on your belt. This was...not ideal. Some of your extra funds were stashed away in your bag there in the hull, but you were hard-pressed to offer up any of your earnings to this person. Still, it would be better to offer it up than risk you or the baby getting hurt. Reluctantly you handed over what was in your pouch. It was not very much, and you cringed a little as they inspected the offering. </p><p>“Where’s the rest?”</p><p>“That’s all I have.”</p><p>They raised up the blaster and repeated, “where is the rest?” The tone through the voice box was not easy to decipher but they made an aggressive step forward that told you they were not happy with your response.</p><p>“The rest of it,” you said slowly, “is with the Mandalorian. Care to wait with me? I’m sure he’ll be back soon.”</p><p>That response was not any better, the veiled threat obviously made the thief bristle. They stepped closer until their blaster pressed into your belly. Despite that, the baby was at the forefront of your mind. You had no idea what to do to ensure that whatever happened he got away safely. </p><p>You thought about grabbing the weapon pressed against you, if you were fast enough you might be able to push it away and hold them off for just a moment. Anything was better than just standing there and getting shot. Just as you mustered up the courage to act a strange sound came out from behind the mask.</p><p>The offending blaster suddenly fell to the ground as the being grabbed at their throat, gasping for breath. You backed away a little, a hand going to your blaster at your side to pull it and aim. They fell to their knees and continued to choke. Part of you wondered if you should try to help, but then again even if you did help they might just kill you and the kid anyway. You couldn’t risk that. All you could do was watch as they very slowly collapsed onto the floor. They gasped for breath for a few more moments, before falling over limply on the ground. </p><p>“Um….what…”</p><p>The baby made a soft noise and you looked to see him standing there with a little hand stretched out towards the robber before falling onto his back in the pram. Confused, you took a moment to try and figure out what the hell had just happened. You kicked their blaster away from them before nudging the form on the floor with your foot. There was no way to tell if they were dead, but they didn’t move.</p><p>You looked over to the child, looking all of a sudden like he was ready to fall straight asleep. “Did you do that?”</p><p>The baby gave out a short “ah” sound and a single nod. </p><p>“O-okay.”</p><p>You were trying not to freak out. It wasn’t clear whether or not the baby actually understood you when you spoke to him, and although he was learning more every day he had never outright answered a question before. It could have been a lot of things. The thief could have just had a very conveniently timed malfunction on his breathing apparatus. Completely possible. But you lived through the war: you had heard horror stories about the Supreme Commander Darth Vader and how he used the force to choke the life out of his enemies. </p><p>Your little green bean was too young to be any kind of disgraced Imp leader, but you still felt… you didn’t know how you felt. </p><p>The being on the ground twitched and you shrieked, shooting your blaster off without even looking. It hit them in the upper arm, burning through their clothes as sticky green blood started to leak from the wound.</p><p>You had to get them off the ship. </p><p>After retrieving the credits they tried to steal from you came the difficult task of actually moving them. With your blaster still in one hand, you did your best to drag the body off of the ramp. </p><p>The child watched on as you heaved and grunted. When you had them on the sand far enough away that they would not block the ramp from being able to retract, you scurried back up and got to closing up. There was a chance they could wake up or had some kind of backup and you wanted the ship locked down before that happened. </p><p>With the outside world shut out and feeling somewhat safe, you peeked into the pram. The child’s eyelids were drooping, and he gave a sweet little yawn. He looked so innocent and yet may have just killed someone. </p><p>Mando had just left for his hunt an hour or so before and calling him back was probably a bad move. You thought that he barely tolerated you, to begin with, and when he found out you put his kid at risk by not watching your own back he was going to be pissed. If you lost him a bounty on top of all that he might just leave you on some backwater planet. There was no way you were getting stranded again. You could handle it until he got back. </p><p>You set to putting the newly gathered supplies in their place and getting a meal started with what limited cookware you had on the <em>Crest</em>. It took your mind off of the ordeal and eventually, your hands stopped shaking. </p><p>You were fine and more importantly, the baby was fine. Things like this were bound to happen while traveling to sometimes questionable planets alongside a bounty hunter. You had to be better prepared next time, you were determined to be better prepared next time.</p><hr/><p>By the time Mando came back the sun was about to rise on a new day. Trailing behind him was a simpering Togruta man, stuncuffed and being altogether a whiney annoyance as Din dragged him along. </p><p>When he got to the closed ship he spotted a trail of darkly stained sand leading away from the ship as if someone dragged themself away. He felt a chill run over him as the hair on the back of his neck stood up, immediately he tapped on the controls in his vambrace to get the ship to open up. </p><p>The hull came into view slowly while the ramp lowered down and when he saw neither you nor the child immediately he called out your name. When there was no response he tried again, louder this time as he stormed up the ramp. </p><p>You were still on the hull floor tucked into your little corner and the baby was just as motionless in his pram. Running toward the two of you with a shout, Din stopped when your body jumped in surprise and you popped up wide awake with a scream. You were ready with your blaster aimed at him, and when you finally realized who it was you lowered it with a heavy sigh of relief. </p><p>“<em>Fuck</em>, you scared me.”</p><p>“I saw blood outside.” He checked in on the baby, who was definitely breathing but very much dead to the world as he snoozed.</p><p>“He’s fine,” you assured him gently. “Some nerfherder tried to rob me but they didn’t get anything,” you mumbled. There was a heavy pause before you frowned, “did you catch the bounty?”</p><p>Din murmured, “shit,” just low enough under his breath that the vocoder did not pick it up before he turned harshly back towards the ramp. He had forgotten about the quarry. </p><p>He had been ready to get cleaned up and let you start the flight back to Nevarro to collect, but now his heart was thudding hard in his chest. His skin felt too tight like he was a tightly wound coil. His mind was reeling for answers since ‘I was robbed’ did not suffice as an explanation. </p><p>The togruta man stood awkwardly at the foot of the ramp and was inspecting the blood in the sand. “Everything alright, Mando?”</p><p>Din did not respond, simply stomped up close enough to roughly grab at his shirt before dragging him toward the carbonite freezer.  The quarry tried to hastily give an explanation of why he shouldn’t be frozen but he was ignored as Din shoved him into the chamber. You were peering in on the baby, fixing his blankets, and wiping some drool from his chin. The ruckus and panic of the bounties were now so commonplace you barely looked up to see what was going on. </p><p>He was by your side only moments later, kneeling and trying to inspect you for injuries. “What happened?”</p><p>He really didn’t mean for his voice to sound so harsh, but judging by the way you flinched his question had not come outright. Now he felt guilt settle in his stomach along with everything else. </p><p>“It was my fault, I wasn’t paying enough attention,” you admitted. “They followed me up the ramp when I came back -- wanted credits.” Chewing on your lower lip, you shrugged. “I was careless, but it won’t happen again, I promise.” </p><p>“Did they hurt you?”</p><p>“No,” you said. “No, um -- something weird happened.” Not able to really put it into words yet, you were woken up rather abruptly and still trying to wrap your head around the situation. “They just started...choking on nothing. I don’t know what it was -- I thought maybe it was the baby? I know that sounds crazy, it was probably just - I don’t know,” you backtracked. “But they passed out and I got them off the ship.”</p><p>“And the kid?”</p><p>“He’s okay, he fell asleep after.”</p><p>Din took a moment, trying to catch his breath because this was not what he was expecting to come back to and your future on the Razor Crest hinged on your response to what he was about to tell you. If you reacted badly to the baby’s powers he was not sure he could trust you alone with him. It was what made him so valuable to the Imps, and if you couldn’t keep your mouth shut he’d have to drop you off at the next planet.</p><p>“It was the kid,” Din said, “I’ve seen him do it before.”</p><p>“He can choke people with his mind?”</p><p>“Yeah. And lift things,” he said plainly. </p><p>There was a terribly long pause as you processed it. He was waiting for the other shoe to drop, ready to be disappointed in your reaction, but could only think that he’d miss hearing you talk to the baby about nothing in the background while he piloted the ship. Maybe he wouldn’t just drop you off at the next planet, he could freeze you in carbonite and take you to Lothal so he at least left you somewhere he knew you liked. </p><p>“Well. Okay,” you said nodding. “Good -- good to know.”</p><p>Din said nothing at first, just stood there grateful that the helmet masked his expression. “It’s a secret. Some Imps want him, and I’m trying to get him back to his planet. The Bounty Hunting is to keep us fed and flying.”</p><p>“I can keep a secret.” </p><p>“If you sell us out…” he couldn’t physically finish speaking the warning, and the fact that he had to warn you, to begin with, left an awful taste in his mouth. The threat just hung in the air between the two of you. </p><p>“I won’t. I promise.” </p><p>He was tense, holding himself in a way that made him look as big and threatening as possible. You didn’t know him very well, but you knew enough to see that he was on the defensive. He had already been scared when he saw the blood and you figured he was worried about the baby. Now he was worried you would betray them both. </p><p>There was nothing you could say to convince him, so you hoped he let you have the chance to prove that you had no intention of letting an innocent child get captured by Imps -- even if he was able to kill you with just his mind. It was a lot to take in, and a little strange but so was running off with a Mandalorian for no other reason except wanting to see something other than snow. Who were you to judge?</p><p>“You’ve been out all night, go get some sleep,” you said standing up. “I’ll get us on course with the next fob.” </p><p>He watched you closely after that, barely letting you out of his sight. He told himself he didn’t trust you and that’s why he insisted all three of you stick together. When the reality set in that he wasn’t risking either of you getting hurt again he shoved it aside, he could deal with that thought later. </p><p>The problem was he kept shoving it aside over and over again; desperately trying not to acknowledge it. </p><p>For a bit you were just as cautious with the baby. You weren’t really convinced the kid wouldn’t hurt you -- toddlers threw tantrums, you’d seen more than a few but none from kids who had Force powers. You felt a little bit out of your depth, but you reasoned that if it was hard just being the kid’s babysitter you couldn’t imagine how hard it had been for The Mandalorian to juggle parenthood, being hunted by Imperials <em>and </em>bounty hunting. </p><p>The kid was obviously smart enough to understand the difference between a threat and a friend. So you sucked it up and kept going.</p><p>Except now you looked over your shoulder a lot more, always aware of your surroundings. Your hand was on your blaster in its holster more often than not, and you got tense whenever a stranger approached. </p><p>It was inevitable that you would see trouble while traveling with him, it was just the nature of his life, and part of him wondered if he should have just told you ‘no’ when you asked to come along with him. </p><p>But it was too late for that now. </p><p>Talking to you was easier than before, hearing you talk to the kid while he piloted the ship made him feel just a little less weighed down by the responsibility and seeing your face light up when you saw a beautiful planet for the first time made him feel like he did something good. He was now, officially, in over his head. </p><p>After rounding up all the bounties it was time to return to Nevarro. While he got his payment, you had run around the settlement to gather food, arrange some repairs and haggle down the price on a new filtration system for the Crest. He sent you back to the ship ahead of him, saying he had business before it was time to set off again. Din wanted to check in on the Armorer and drop off any extra credits he could spare for what remained of the covert. But he also had other intentions.</p><p>It had caught his eye while walking towards the cantina, amongst all the street vendors selling their wares. These things normally didn’t really stand out to him but the flash of green had made him turn to glance. The vendor, an orange Twi’lek man, sold various plant-life from other planets and when Din approached he flew into a diatribe about rare and exotic flowers. Din pointed to a mint-green flower with splotches of light lavender that randomly adorned the petals around a dark pistil. He had no idea what it was called but he knew it came from Lothal. </p><p>“What is that one?”</p><p>“The Green Daisy!” the vendor exclaimed excitedly. “A rare breed from Lothal and a wonderful flower to have in the home -- easy to take care of and it’s stems detect heat so it only blooms when someone is around to admire it! Fascinating little things.”</p><p>Din nodded, “it’ll do.”</p><p>“Wonderful,” he exclaimed. “That will be ten credits, my Mandalorian friend.”</p><p>Din handed over the credits. </p><p>“Thank you!” the vendor took them and handed over the flower in its pot. He asked, “I have never had the honor of a Mandalorian perusing my booth before. I must ask, is the flower for you?”</p><p>“It’s a gift,” Din said stiffly. </p><p>“Ah,” the Twi’lek grinned conspiratorially. “In that case, I will give you this,” he handed him a piece of durasheet with some scribbled instructions, “and wish you the best of luck.”</p><p>Din was flustered by the small wink the man gave him as if he knew something and gave a short thanks before beginning his walk back to the ship. The Crest was close enough for Greef’s men to unload the carbonite stacks but with enough distance from the settlement to make him feel comfortable leaving it unattended. With all the quarries delivered and carted away, you wept away some of the dust that had been tracked in during their removal. The baby trailed behind you, trying to grab at the push broom you had. </p><p>It was too heavy for him, but he got his hand on the lowest part of the handle and gave a little grunt as he used what little strength he physically had in order to help. You gently pushed the brush, so he felt like he had contributed, and he looked up at you with an expectant smile.</p><p>“Good job,” you chuckled, “can I do the rest?”</p><p>Satisfied with his work, the baby started to toddle off toward a small box of miscellaneous items he had claimed as toys. </p><p>“Never met a kid that likes to help as much as him,” you said in a light tone to Mando. </p><p>“He’s...unique that way.”</p><p>“He’s very sweet.” you shoved some dust down the ramp and wiped at the sweat at your temple. “Ready to head out?” </p><p>He felt a little foolish, holding a flower behind his back. He used his free hand to dig into the pouch on his belt, “here’s your cut.” He handed out some mixed currencies. </p><p>“Payday,” you said in a sing-songy voice, shimmying your shoulders a little. “Thank you very much!” You took it from him and shifted to put it away in your own bag. </p><p>“This --,” he said stiffly, shoulders tense again as he held out the plant a little awkwardly, “this is also for you.”</p><p>You glanced up from putting your funds away and frowned a little in confusion at the offering. When you got a good look at it you took in a surprising breath of air. “They look like the ones on Lothal!” </p><p>He realized the moment it happened that making you suck in that delighted gasp was his real goal all along. Telling himself that it was a simple “thank you” gift was pointless when he felt his whole face get too hot behind the helmet. He was wearing his gloves but he swore he could feel the warmth of your skin as they brushed over the leather to take the potted plant from him. </p><p>“That’s where it’s from. A green daisy.” he handed over the durasheet, of which your eyes scanned over quickly.  “It can sense heat  -- they bloom when there’s someone around to see it.”</p><p>“That’s so fucking cool -- oh, Maker, language,” you cringed and looked over to the baby, “sorry, green bean.” You felt the heat of embarrassment as you laughed at yourself a little, “thank you, Mando, really. I loved being on Lothal -- it’s like a little souvenir or something.” </p><p>He thought of saying ‘I know, I hope I can take you back one day’ but what came out was, “Thank you for your help with the kid.” </p><p>“Oh…” you blinked, “I should be thanking you. I never thought I’d see so many planets in my life.” </p><p>“Ready for the next one?” he asked. </p><p>“Oh, definitely,” you said with a grin. </p><p>He nodded his head once and then headed towards the ladder to the cockpit. A sensation of pride swelled in his chest. Your smile had been because of him this time. </p><p>“Ramps up! We’re good to go!”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is posted as one single story on tumblr, but here I decided to split it up.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mando considered getting you another gift when the following weeks proved to be difficult when dealing with the kid. He must have been restless because you couldn’t turn around for more than a minute without him getting into something he shouldn’t. He normally was fine - an (almost) average toddler and pretty low maintenance despite the whole lifting stuff with his brain thing. But when he got into a mood it lasted for days. </p><p>On an afternoon where he was being particularly ornery, you were in the shower and were suddenly consumed with darkness as the entire ship’s power went out. You stumbled out in the inky blackness of the windowless refresher, barely covering yourself with a towel to hunt for a glowrod. You were thankful Mando was out, because when you finally found one and lit it up in the hull to find the child tugging on exposed wires where a wall panel was long gone. After making sure he hadn't electrocuted himself and finding clothes in the dark, you spent the rest of the day trying to fix the wiring and wrangle the baby. </p><p>When Din arrived back to the ship, you had gotten the lights back on but power was not reaching the engines. You apologized as many times as you could while focusing on figuring out the problem -- you weren’t about to spend credits to get it repaired. The ship was grounded for the night while you figured it out, so Din grabbed what he needed to clean the beskar and headed towards the refresher. </p><p>When the door was locked behind him he lifted the helmet over his head and set it aside. When he peered into the mirror he noticed his hair was getting long again, and he needed to shave. Removing his gloves and setting them aside, he scratched eagerly at his stubbled cheek. The same spot that had itched all damn day where the helmet pressed into his face.</p><p>Piece by piece the beskar came off, and he took a moment to appreciate being out of it before climbing into the sonisteam just to get rid of the sweat and grime from hunting before getting to work on cleaning the beskar. </p><p>He glanced down at the pile of clothes and metal and noticed that on the ground was a shirt of yours. You kept your things in one spot on the ship, even your gifted flower had its place amongst your few belongings in a corner of the hull. It was not like you to leave something in a common area. </p><p>He picked it up, feeling the texture of the light tsu-seed weave without his gloves. It was one of the lightweight shirts you had bought for the desert planets. Under the helmet he couldn’t smell much unless it was really overwhelming, sometimes a vague waft of a scent would make it through but not clear enough for him to place where it was coming from. The shirt was pressed to his face before he could stop himself. The fabric was soft against his skin and he tried to memorize the smell. <em>Your smell</em>.</p><p>This was probably crossing a line, and before the guilt could bloom in his chest he was shocked to find that the scent lingering on your shirt put him at ease. </p><p>It was a mistake, grabbing the shirt because now all he could think of was how his fingers would brush along your skin to lift it off of you. He wondered if you’d sharply inhale if he found a sensitive spot. What would it be like to hold you close, no beskar in between the two of you, and take a deep breath? The softness of your body pressed to his and the inherent comfort that came with knowing you were close enough for him to breathe you in. His body ached to know what it really felt like. </p><p>It was shameful, hiding away in the refresher and sinking down into a self-inflicted fit of brooding all because he had to know what it might be like to be so close to you. He was trying to piece together a puzzle he couldn’t see completed. Doing what he could to try and learn each possible sensation on their own, shaped from all these little moments that he kept trying to steal for his own fantasy. </p><p>It was bad. He had no idea what to do, and he was almost certain you had no inkling of the way he was desperate to be around you. How the hell were you supposed to know when he turned away at every small gesture which would suggest it? It was too much to ask of both of you.</p><p>If he wanted to just fuck, he could do that. This was something else entirely and if he couldn’t have you in every way imaginable it was better to just keep it professional. At the very least it would keep things from being awkward so you would stay and he could keep your friendship. </p><p>He set your shirt aside, folded neatly for whenever you came back to get it, and sat down to clean the beskar.</p><hr/><p>Tatooine sucked and you never wanted to go back. You didn’t really get how people lived there. The Cantina was somehow worse than any you had ever been to. You were a little biased, you admitted, your bar at the inn on Fort Ypso was well cared for despite being old and having the same customers for years on end. But you could honestly say you hated this bar. </p><p>“Does that band know any other songs?” you asked Mando under your breath. </p><p>“They don’t need to, that one’s a classic.” </p><p>You rolled your eyes, your lips curling into a smile at his joke. “Who are we looking for again?” </p><p>Mando discreetly showed you the puck, and you tried to remember the face this time. It was easier to tag along now that the baby had a little sling to sit in on your chest -- if trouble came you could much easier hide and get away with him. People also stared a lot less without the pram, only glancing at you with a non-visible child strapped to your body and focusing on the Mandalorian instead. </p><p>It was a little bit fun to do this with Mando. Sure you were essentially a distraction or the lure most of the time but it was nice to do something outside of the ship now and then. You felt like you were his partner, and being included with him in anything gave you a special sort of giddiness. You made conversation easily while you looked around the bar with him, and you were delighted to hear him laugh at a joke you made about the dirty state of the table you sat at.</p><p>A little while later the bounty walked in with three other people: one human woman and two human men. They were hired guards armed with blasters and glaring at everyone they passed by. While they were hulking figures the bounty himself was wiry and scowling as he took in the place. You couldn’t exactly remember who he was, but he could afford protection and seemed just as disgusted with the bar as you were so he probably came from some kind of money. </p><p>“Those bodyguards are pretty big,” you commented, “should we hire someone to help?” </p><p>You had your blaster, but when the baby was with you he was your only real priority, and rightfully so since fights were not altogether your specialty. Mando was a legendary bounty hunter, trained for years in melee combat and marksmanship and you had learned how to shoot behind the bar with an ex that ended up leaving the planet not two weeks after the breakup. You would probably only hold your companion back rather than help him. </p><p>“They aren’t as tough as they look,” he assured you. He nodded his head in the direction of the biggest one, who was ordering at the bar. “The bartender.”</p><p>Said bartender looked like they were half-listening, glancing at the man with a bored look and turning his back away from him to pour a drink. </p><p>“What about them?”</p><p>“Working in a place like this, that bartender has seen more than a few fights. If they aren’t worried, why should I be?”</p><p>Out of anyone else’s mouth, the comment would have been arrogant but Mando said it so plainly it barely even sounded like bragging. And you knew it was true that he was very good. How many other people took out a tie-fighter with a jetpack and a couple of small explosives? If Greef Karga hadn’t told you the story with Mando sitting next to you humbly nodding once to confirm its truth, you wouldn't have believed it.</p><p>The other bodyguard scanned the bar, lingering over the dark corners to try to discern any threats. You shifted forward a little in your seat and Mando slumped as far down as he could so you could try to block the view of him. You could feel their gaze on you, lingering for a moment too long for your comfort before sliding away again to finish taking in the rest of the patrons. </p><p>“Did he see you?” you asked.</p><p>“Don’t think so.” he couldn’t see where the woman was now, nor could he track the eyeline of the one who stayed near the bounty. “What are they doing?”</p><p>“I lost one of them, but the mean-looking one is watching the door and the <em>meaner</em> looking one came back with a drink for the bounty.” </p><p>There was a soft breathy sound that came through the vocoder, one you had recognized as a scoff. The one he gave when he found you equally amusing and annoying. It still made you smile. </p><p>“I’m gonna go out the back while they aren’t looking,” he said, “draw them out.” </p><p>He slipped away quickly, just before the first bodyguard turned back around to start his scan over again. The quarry sipped at his drink, head ducked and shoulders slumped. You weren’t sure how long you were there sipping on a glass of water that had cost way too many credits. Only on desert planets could you get away with charging four credits for water. After a while you saw that the quarry was finished with his drink and reading something on a datapad you couldn't see. He leaned in to speak to one of his protectors and then they stood to make for the front door. </p><p>You made your move then, wrapping your arms tight around the baby and shuffling quickly through the crowd towards them. You slipped through, bumping into the quarry yanking hard at the pouch that hung low off his belt so it ripped off into your hand, and then took off towards the backdoor. </p><p>“She stole my credits!” The quarry yelled.</p><p>At the risk of losing their pay, the bodyguards followed, and not wanting to be without protection the quarry was not too far behind. You protected the baby’s head from bumping into anything as you flew through the doors into a small alley. Mando was nowhere to be seen. </p><p>You heard the three men burst out of the door behind you and you turned to face them. The two burly men were hounding in on you now, and you backed away slowly. Your blaster was on your hip, but you didn’t want to reach for it just yet in case they pulled theirs. The last thing you needed was blaster fire going off while you had the kid strapped to your body. </p><p>“I’ll trade you,” you said offering the pouch out. “The credits for him,” you nodded at the quarry. </p><p>“And why would we agree to that?”</p><p>You smirked a little, just a tad bit nervous but a glint of silver caught your eye putting you at ease. “‘Cuz it’s a better offer than he’ll give you.” </p><p>Mando revealed himself then, two blasters aimed at the two men quickly fumbling to grab theirs. You saw the quarry pull out a nasty-looking serrated vibroblade, a little less impressive than the blasters but you didn’t want it anywhere near you. </p><p>“Walk away,” Mando said plainly. “I’m not here for you.” </p><p>“If he takes me neither of you get paid,” snarled the quarry. </p><p>That motivated the two men to shoot their blasters off. They reflected easily off the beskar and you ducked down, covering up the kid, and started getting away from the fight. You ducked behind some empty storage bins, peeking out to make sure Mando was okay. When the other two started getting their asses handed to them the quarry went forward with the vibroblade ready to attack Mando while he was preoccupied.</p><p>“Hey!” You shouted as you came out from hiding with your blaster aimed at him now. </p><p>“Where the hell have you guys -- ah, fuck!”</p><p>You turned to see that the last hired guard was back, from what seemed to be a perimeter check. She quickly took in the scene while approaching from the opposite end of the alleyway. She set her eyes on you and seeing that your blaster was aimed at her boss she began to reach for the one strapped to her thigh.</p><p>You shifted your stance, aimed for the legs, and pulled the trigger. She fell to the ground with a grunt, dropping the blaster and reaching for her wound. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw movement: the quarry was running toward you. He was still wielding a vibroblade and before you could think to shoot at him you turned your back so the knife was not coming toward the child. </p><p>Mando swept his leg out, knocking one of his assailants to the ground, and hastily reached out to grab at the jacket of the man running towards you. With a grunt, he yanked him back. </p><p>A searing pain bloomed along your back and you cried out as you fell forward. Your hands flew forward to catch yourself on the rough ground. The baby was squirming around, safe but trying hard to wiggle out of the sling.</p><p>When you looked over your shoulder, Mando had taken out one of the other bodyguards but the quarry and the last hired hand were teaming up against him. You told yourself he could handle it and that your job was to get the child to safety. But you couldn’t find it in you to just leave him there, struggling to hold off one for long enough to take out the other. </p><p>He managed to shove the quarry away, hard enough that he fell to the ground. You took a few steps back, not wanting to bring attention to yourself. The blaster you had was dropped and you couldn’t seem to find it. Mando landed a blow to the bodyguard’s face that gave a loud crack, and when they backed off with a cry he pulled a blaster from the holster on his hip and fired off a shot that hit him square in the chest. </p><p>His back was to the quarry who now had your blaster and you only noticed it once he had it aimed at Mando. You had to think quickly, seeing a metal rod that had been knocked to the ground in the fray you swiped it up while you ran in their direction.</p><p>Your hands gripped around the warm metal as you approached from behind and then just swung with all the strength you had. Mando turned in time to hear the loud thud of the rod making contact with the man’s head. The quarry limply dropped your blaster to the side, swayed on his feet, and then fell over unconscious. </p><p>As he crumpled you came into view. Wielding some scrap metal, dirt mixing with sweat on your face as your breath made your chest heave, and the baby nestled safely (if not a little jostled) in the sling on your chest. You looked every bit a warrior to him. Like a protective mother: fierce and righteous and brave -- he was dumbstruck by it. </p><p>Until you fell to your knees, weakly leaning on one arm and hugging the baby tighter to your chest. He came to your side, kneeling and putting a hand on your back -- to which you hissed in pain and flinched away from him. When he looked he saw blood was staining your shirt and now his gloves. Leaning closer and gently pulling the sliced shirt he inspected the wound. Deep enough that he felt the bitter cold worry rising in him, but not enough that he didn’t think you would make it. </p><p>The baby was crying, struggling to get out of the sling and you tried to soothe him as best you could. “You’re alright, little one.”</p><p>Din swallowed down whatever he was feeling as best he could. “Can you walk?”</p><p>“I think so,” you breathed, “just need to catch my breath.”</p><p>“We have to get back to the <em>Crest</em>.” </p><p>You nodded a little and moved to stand up. It felt fine, your back stung but adrenaline warded off the worst of it. Your back felt wet and warm, mostly just uncomfortable with your shirt wetly sticking to the skin. The child fussed and wriggled around, he looked back at Mando and then went back to struggling.</p><p>“I can take him,” Din held out his arms. </p><p>“No, I have him, you worry about that guy,” You nodded toward the unconscious quarry. </p><p>Someone had to carry their bounty back and it sure as hell wasn’t gonna be you. </p><p>He tugged gently at one of the child’s ears, grabbing his attention. The baby stopped fussing, giant brown eyes looking up into the helmet’s vizor as if he could see straight through it. He gave a long whine before pressing his face back into your chest. Din found it hard to believe he was scared since he had once faced a wall of fire and simply held out his little hand to stop it. Whatever it was, the kid was not happy. Tracing a gloved finger over the extra wrinkled brow he spoke in Mando’a.</p><p>“Udesii ad’ika.”</p><p>The baby huffed and whined but further pressed into you, no longer wiggling around. You wanted to ask for a translation, but as usual, this felt like stepping in where you weren’t welcome. Whatever it meant, you were glad for the kid’s response to it now that he was no long clawing at the cloth. </p><p>“We should get moving,” Mando said. </p><p>The journey back was not going quickly and your body was still sung with twitchy energy. You surveyed the road ahead, taking in every face and movement you could catch. No one blinked twice at the Mandalorian carrying an unconscious body. For most of the walk you were fine, quiet, and breathing quickly, but no grunts of pain or slow steps. He kept a steady pace and knew that if they got most of the way back while your adrenaline was still high then the walk would not be too painful for you.</p><p>But the urge to carry you the whole way nagged at the back of his mind. Your wound was bleeding a lot more than he was comfortable with as he stuck close enough to drop the quarry and catch you if you lost your legs. His mind taunted him about infections setting in before he could get bacta gel onto it. Even worse was the thought that if he had been just one second later in grabbing onto your assailant, you could have been dead. </p><p>The child gave a loud cry, high pitched, and helpless in tone. You cooed to him quietly, no crack in your voice, and no sign of distress. The baby seemed momentarily placated as he hushed his whines to something quieter. If you had died Din had no idea how he would have comforted the kid, how he would go about as he had before with just the two of them. The baby cried out again. </p><p>“I know,” you sighed to him, “almost there.” </p><p>The Crest was in view now, and you were starting to feel the pain. A throbbing ache along with the wet feeling of the blood dripping down your back. You breathed a little deeper, more intentional, pushing through to make it to the ship. If you just kept breathing, in and out, then you could make it.</p><p>“Talk to me,” Din said curtly.</p><p>“What?” you swallowed past the lump in your throat. It hurt, and tears pricked at the corners of your eyes. </p><p>“Talk.”</p><p>“About what?” your tone was somewhat forceful, frustrated, and confused. Why in the Maker’s name did he want you to talk when all you could focus on was putting one foot in front of the other and not dropping the baby in your arms?</p><p>“Anything,” he said. “Does it hurt?”</p><p>“Yes,” you hissed. </p><p>“How bad?”</p><p>“Don’t have much to compare it to, I’ve never been stabbed before,” you said sarcastically. </p><p>“You weren’t stabbed,” he corrected, “it’s just a laceration.”</p><p>“Oh, well, fuck! I’ve never been lacerated before!”</p><p>To his own surprise, he had to choke down a chuckle. He was worried, yes, but he knew you’d make it. To hear you being spirited was a good sign, and if he was honest he was proud of you. He wouldn’t have judged you for whimpering or cowering  -- this was not something you were used to. But there was something about you taking his somewhat baiting comment and hurling it back at him that made his lips twitch into a smile. </p><p>You groaned and in response the baby yelled, alert and worried. “Is he always like this when you run into trouble?”</p><p>“Not usually this fussy,” Din admitted. “Almost there.”</p><p>The fact that the ship still felt so far away made you eager to lock yourself in the refresher and cry. It was a little embarrassing, no -- it was really embarrassing. You’d seen Mando get his ass kicked many times and just get up as if nothing had happened. </p><p>Once you had even seen him use the laser cauterizer on himself with not much more than a grunt and a sigh -- it was the most of him you had ever seen of him. A glimpse of lovely skin peeking out of sliced open pants as he cauterized his own wound. You lazily shook the thought from your mind, it was not the time to think about how you had stared for way too long at the exposed skin, trying to imagine what the rest of him looked like. Trying to imagine what felt and tasted like.</p><p>You were tired and in pain and you had to make it to the Razor Crest before you said something stupid. When you finally made it there you slowly removed the baby from the sling and peeled the thing off. At your feet the baby grabbed at your calf, looking up and making frustrated little noises. </p><p>“We made it, little one,” you said, trying to force a smile. “Everything’s fine.”</p><p>“You need to sit,” Mando spoke up abruptly, “that wound needs bacta.”</p><p>“Um, I was just going to --” </p><p>“Sit,” Mando insisted, but his voice was a little warmer when he added: “please.” </p><p>There went your chance to hide away for a moment. You moved to sit on your cot in the corner of the hull. The stem of the Green Daisy he had gifted you was slowly turning towards where it sensed breath and life, ready to open up for those willing to wait and watch. </p><p>Tears were welling up in your eyes now, the pain was all you could think about and you wanted the privacy to let yourself cry about it. When the shame set in you turned your back to him, not wanting him to see you upset. You wouldn’t get a comforting touch if he did if anything you assumed he would find it pathetic that you couldn’t handle the pain. </p><p>The baby whined, grabbing your attention and you saw him trying to climb up. With a little sigh and wiping what tears that had fallen, you scooped him up and placed him on the cot with you. Mando had disappeared for a moment but you could now hear him digging through a storage compartment, locating the medkit. The baby was trying to crawl around you, reaching up toward your back. </p><p>“What are you doing?” The frustration was clear in your voice and you felt a little bad for your temper beginning to slip. </p><p>“He wants to heal you,” you heard Mando say as he approached with the pram in tow.  </p><p>“He can do that?”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“Does it hurt him?”</p><p>Din paused. “I don’t know.”</p><p>Well, you weren’t about to risk the chance that it might. You hissed as you turned to grab the baby and set him in the pram. “That’s okay, buddy, save your strength.” </p><p>The kid was about to fuss, you could see it in the way he drew in a big breath either to shout or start crying. </p><p>“That’s enough,” Mando said firmly before he could even begin. </p><p>The baby blinked at him a couple of times but didn’t make a sound just exhaled the air in a huff. You were impressed, to say the least. </p><p>“I know,” you said, careful not to undermine Mando’s authority, “you want to help, but we’ve got it. It’s okay.”</p><p>His ears flopped forward and he turned from the two of you to slump down into his blankets, very obviously pouting about the whole situation</p><p>“I need you to… You’re gonna have to take the shirt off,” Din clenched his jaw after he forced the words out of his mouth. </p><p>You were grateful he couldn’t see your face as you grimaced a bit. The thought of being so exposed was daunting, especially since you were exposing yourself to someone who lived their entire life behind some armor. </p><p>With a little sigh, you lifted the shirt over your head, feeling the wet material slide on your skin. You tossed it aside with a little force, not quite succeeding at swallowing down your pride. This was no time to be stubborn and you had to suck it up so he could get it over with. </p><p>There was a new feeling of dampness, a soft cloth soaked in water wiping away the blood. He was gentle. Each swipe of the cloth skirted the split in your flesh so lightly you could barely feel it and then increased in pressure as he moved away from the wound. Deliberate and tender, it was so soothing you felt your shoulders begin to relax. </p><p>“Sometimes I think he knows,” Mando said behind you, voice a little softer than you were used to, “he can feel how bad it hurts.”</p><p>You took a moment to process how soothing his voice sounded, so low and gentle. “I don’t know much about the Force but...wouldn’t surprise me if he could sense that kind of stuff.”</p><p>Mando told you the story, in the same soft tone, of how the baby had healed Greef Karga from a wound that would have killed him. He told you the child had reached out for him the first night he met him, probably trying to help in the same way. There was a sort of fondness in the way he spoke about the baby that made your heartache. Mando truly was proud that the child’s first instinct was to reach out and help people </p><p>Din was about to spray the bacta onto his gloves but looked at the leather. It was not new and smooth, he could see how rough it was. The expanse of your back was pretty much bare to him, save the straps of the bra you wore and that alone was enough to make his fingers itch to touch. He had the barrier of his gloves to keep him from tempting himself further, but now he was conflicted. He didn’t want the rough gloves to hurt you any more than you were already dealing with, his fingertips would be a little softer.</p><p> But if he touched you now he wasn’t sure he would be able to stop. </p><p>He took a measured breath and set to removing the gloves, reminding himself that you needed his help. The bacta gel was cool when it touched his bare hands, and he paused before putting his hand on your back. </p><p>“I’m putting the bacta gel on,” he told you in warning, “might sting.” </p><p>“Okay,” you nodded. </p><p>The gel felt cool and slimy as he delicately spread it along the wound, and it only took a moment for it to start to tingle. At first, it was just annoying but it quickly gained a sharp edge. You took in a heavy breath and bit back on a sob, all the tension coming back to your shoulders. Din very quickly wiped his hands free of the extra gel before pressing his hand onto your lower back in an attempt to comfort you.</p><p>You were soft. So soft that he had to clench his jaw shut to choke back a groan. How long had it been since he felt another person’s skin? He could barely remember. You were warm too, and he wanted to stroke the skin of your back -- rub away the tension in your shoulders. </p><p>“Fuck,” you gasped out, unable to hide the crack in your voice. </p><p>“Sorry,” Din said, his voice clipped off. He needed to calm down. “It-it’ll fight off infections, just let it… let it run its course.” </p><p>You nodded your head curtly, wiping at your face. Realizing you were crying he was flooded with guilt. You were a bartender, not a bounty hunter, and yet you had transitioned into his life so seamlessly. You didn’t run from blaster fire and took a vibroblade to the back and beat his quarry unconscious. His hand came up to your shoulder -- you were just as soft there -- and he squeezed gently. </p><p>“Look at me,” he said and when you resisted he said, “cyar’ika.” It was safe to call you this, he reasoned, since there was no way you would know what it meant. </p><p>You turned gently to face him, he’d never spoken to you in Mando’a before, and it caught your attention. You were met with the dark T of the visor staring back at you, and you felt that it was full of judgment. You rolled your eyes at yourself, wiping your eyes. </p><p>You felt weak next to him, he was sturdy and tough and you were crying about some Bacta. He noticed your face was still dirty and reached for the wet cloth from before. It was stained with blood but he found a clean corner and reached towards your face to wipe away the tears, sweat, and dirt. </p><p>It was only then you noticed that his hands were free of the gloves and your breath caught in your throat for an entirely new reason. Satisfied with the fact that your face was clean, he dropped the cloth to the side, his other hand coming to your cheek. You closed your eyes, not sure how to properly respond to this except with utter euphoria. His thumb gently traced along your cheekbone and you sighed. </p><p>Din was not entirely sure what he was doing, but you hadn’t flinched away from him so he felt safe enough to keep his hand there. He had to swallow down everything he wanted to say. There was still a risk of scaring you off, especially after you had just gotten hurt. </p><p>“You did well,” he croaked out, the sound barely loud enough to be picked up on the vocoder. </p><p>Your eyebrows shot up, eyes flying open. It was only three words but it made you feel like crying all over again. The lack of judgment in his tone and the way he was so gentle with you was making you emotional. This was dangerous. Your hand came to the one he had fisted at his side, grabbing and squeezing gently. Trying to ask without asking, trying to invite some kind of connection. </p><p>`His fingers moved from your cheek and down to your lips, rubbing along the bottom one. As close to a kiss as he could give you. </p><p>“H-how do you feel?”</p><p>“What?” Your lips dragged on the pads of his fingers as you spoke dumbly. He was touching you, and it was distracting. You weren’t really sure what he was talking about.</p><p>“Your back.”</p><p>Oh. Right. That. </p><p>It stung a little bit, but the pain was easing away and the bacta was doing its job. Right now you were just helplessly staring into a void, wondering what the hell was going on in his mind. </p><p>“Feels better.” </p><p>He looked away from you, head-turning towards the pram. The baby was nestled into his blankets now, resting from the stress and the worry he had felt earlier. Now was as good a time as ever, he figured. His hands pulled away and you thought that was going to be it. A small moment of tenderness and then nothing. But he reached for his vambrace, pressed a few buttons, and the pram’s protective screen shut. </p><p>His hands were immediately on you then, tracing along your neck and behind your ear. “Is this -- can I --”</p><p>“Yes,” you didn’t let him finish, just nodded your head quickly. </p><p>He started removing the beskar -- not the helmet but the rest peeled off until he stood there in pants and shirt with only the helmet on. It was new to say the least, he was still Mando but the silver pieces of armor were gone. Somehow it felt like you were the one seeing him vulnerable even though you had more skin showing. He grabbed your discarded shirt, now ruined with bloodstains, and came to the cot again sitting next to you. </p><p>“I can’t let you see me,” he said seriously. </p><p>“I know,” you nodded your head. </p><p>He ripped your shirt where it was still clean. “I’ll get you a new one.”</p><p>You shrugged a little, “it was ruined anyway. What are you --”</p><p>“For your eyes,” he said quickly. </p><p>“Oh,” you blinked in surprise. “I thought...the helmet stayed on?”</p><p>“I need to -- “ he cut himself off, taking a deep breath. He needed to kiss you. Or he felt like he did anyway. Maybe the blindfold was asking for too much trust. You did, after all, get hurt running around with him not an hour ago. “It’s alright if you don’t want to.”</p><p>“No, no,” you grabbed the cloth from him and pressed it to your eyes, “it’s okay,” you reached back to tie it but you grunted at a small tinge of discomfort in your back. </p><p>“Let me,” he reached around to take them from you, tying the ends together behind your head. Snug enough that it wouldn’t move but not too tight.  “Can you see anything?”</p><p>You opened your eyes behind the cloth, some light crept in but you couldn’t even make out his shape let alone any details. “No.”</p><p>He had never removed the helmet so fast, gulping in the fresh air as he set it aside. Apparently not carefully enough since it clattered to the ground. He would have been irritated with himself for disrespecting the beskar but he knew it was fine and he was too busy touching your face again. Your hands came to his wrists, grounding yourself as he pulled you in and slotted his lips against yours. </p><p>It was intense, to say the least, desperate and messy, kissing and gasping for breath when either of you gave some leeway. You were dizzy with it, blindfolded and climbing into his lap and pushing yourself into his chest. </p><p>His hands began to roam, down your sides and over your tummy. All soft and supple beneath his fingers and they kept twitching to grab and squeeze. You were injured, he had to be gentle with you, he reminded himself. You kept gasping into his mouth when he brushed along your sides towards your hips, eagerly rocking into him. </p><p>He needed more. Din reached around to help you remove your bra, and you slipped it the rest of the way down your arms. His hands then rested on your hips, drinking the sight in and trying to find something to say. Din ran his hands up your sides, caressing but not reaching for the newly exposed skin yet. </p><p>“Do you want to touch me?” You asked. </p><p>“Yes,” he ground out. </p><p>“You can,” you assured him. You grabbed his hands, placing them over your breasts. “It’s okay.” </p><p>He nodded but realized you couldn’t see him. “Okay,” he said. </p><p>His voice was different with the helmet off, you’d heard it before while eavesdropping, but this close and with the sense of sight cut off you could hear it so clearly. It was[ rough] but you could hear the soft uncertainty laced beneath that. He grabbed and squeezed experimentally, running his thumbs over your nipples. When you leaned into the touch he was close enough to kiss your neck, trailing kisses along the column and breathing in your scent.</p><p>You could feel his progression downwards, his tongue slipping out of his mouth every other kiss to taste you. There was the vaguest taste of salt to your skin from the gentle sheen of sweat that had covered your skin when you were fighting and running. And all of you was so fucking soft he could hardly fathom it, skin on skin for the first time in what felt like forever. His face pressed into your chest, breathing heavy and just listening to the solid thud of your heartbeat. </p><p>When he took one of your nipples into his mouth you gasped in surprise, back arching a little to press your chest further out. He felt tingles ripple down his spine, hair standing on end, and he outright groaned when your hands slid into his hair. Damp with some sweat and messy from the helmet. </p><p>“You’re gonna kill me,” he choked out. </p><p>You gave a little laugh, and he interrupted it by sucking on your nipple making you tighten your grip a little bit. When your hips rolled forward along the stiff length bulging through his pants it was just enough pressure on your clit to make you whine a little. Din’s hands flew to your hips, guiding you to do it again, the pressure felt good and the sounds you made told him that it felt even better for you. </p><p>It really felt like you could come like that, dry humping him with his mouth dancing along your tits. His fingers tucked into the waistband of your shorts, playing with the skin there and you realized how much better it would feel if you had actual friction on your clit. Stopping the rolling of your hips, you shakily got out of his lap. Din’s hands stayed on your hips, making sure you didn’t fall but he was concerned he had done something wrong. Did you want to stop? </p><p>You hooked your own fingers into the waistband of your pants and pulled down, bringing your underwear along with it. Realization dawned on him. He quickly pulled his shirt over his head, just as hastily trying to get to his pants before you tried to climb on. He got them halfway down his thighs before your hands covered his -- for a moment he was worried you could see but then again maybe you could hear him. </p><p>Together you pulled down his pants, kneeling to help get them from around his ankles. He guided you back into his lap, and you reached out to touch his chest. You could map out some scars most of them, you noticed, were around where the beskar would cover. Raised and soft and almost no part of his body was free of them. Din’s whole body shuddered with the touch and the sight of you naked in his lap. </p><p>Part of him wanted to savor this since he had wanted it for so long but the other part of him begged just to take and feel and taste. He didn’t have much input on it when your hands slid down his torso, fingers finding course curls before the base of his cock. You stroked him terribly slowly, and with a loose grip, just enough to make him squeeze at your thighs in anticipation but not enough for him to get the feeling he craved. </p><p>His head was spinning, he was half-convinced he would wake up in his cot at any moment. It had to be a dream. He’d have to swiftly make it to the ‘fresher to take care of himself when he woke -- slip by you fast enough you wouldn’t notice the tent in his pants. </p><p>“What’d you say?” You murmured gently, confused.</p><p>Fuck, did he say that out loud?  He wasn’t gonna last, he was gonna spill into your hands before ever feeling your pussy wrap around him and that was...well that was unacceptable to him. He grabbed your hands pulling them away from his cock. </p><p>“M’not gonna last, cyar’ika,” he grunted as he let your hands go and let his own begin to travel between your legs. </p><p>“What’d you say before?” </p><p>Stars, you really were trying to kill him. “I-I -- “ Fuck, why couldn’t he just say it? He’d blurted it out a few seconds ago why was it so hard now that he knew you were really listening? “Can I touch you...here?” His fingers danced over your pubic mound. </p><p>“If you tell me,” your breath hitched as you teased, grabbing his wrist and stopping him from progressing further towards your cunt. “You get to see me every day, let me see you.”</p><p>“I can’t --”</p><p>“No,” you insisted, “talk...let me see you.”</p><p>There was a moment where he just stared. You were beautiful as he trailed his eyes over every inch of your body, gorgeous cunt right there for him to touch. And all he had to do was talk. “I…” he started out uncertain, “I dream about it. Touching you.” </p><p>You let go of his wrist, nodding your head in assent and bringing your hands back up to his shoulders to keep yourself steady. His fingers slid through your folds feeling how wet you were, wet and warm. He swallowed hard, and just felt for a moment before he started to gently rub at your clit. You moaned, head tipping back and nails beginning to dig into the skin of his shoulders. It felt unreal, his fingers were just calloused enough to bring that amazing friction -- somehow raising you to new heights so quickly. </p><p>“Keep talking.” </p><p>Confessions fell out of his mouth as he touched you. Every moment he wanted to grab you and take you right where you stood and every stupid lovesick thought he had ever dared to think came into the open. </p><p>He rubbed at your clit, finding the right motion and pace and you gasped out, “keep going...like that…”</p><p>He was glad for the instruction, elated that you were helping him learn how to make you feel good. If you could have seen his face you would have seen the reverence in his eyes. He was enamored with the vision of you sitting in his lap and telling him what you needed. </p><p>After a moment, his finger dipped into your hole and you both simultaneously groaned. You felt so good and he couldn’t wait to feel you wrapped around his cock. He pumped his finger in and out a few times and when he pulled away his finger was coated with your wetness. When he returned your clit the added lubrication made you whine. </p><p>Your orgasm hit you faster than you were ready for, body shuddering and curling in towards him. Maybe it was the blindfold making everything more intense, maybe it was because it was fuckin’ Mando beneath you playing with your pussy. If you were honest, he was not the only one dreaming about this. Not the only one hiding away relieve the tension as quietly and inconspicuously as possible. </p><p>When your back arched as you came it twinged a little bit but the pain felt far away as the feeling rolled through your body. Your nails dug into the skin on his shoulders, and he hummed a little watching your mouth part, and your chest rise and fall as you caught your breath. </p><p>You tilted your hips up, reaching down for his cock to line him up with your entrance. His grip tightened sharply for a moment but he eased up immediately. Slowly you slid down along his length, controlling the pace and feeling the fullness. The stretch was different than that of your own fingers, not bad but intense. Your ass settled on his thighs when he was fully enveloped in you and you sat there for a moment getting used to it. </p><p>Mando was silent but his breathing was heavy, fanning against your skin and his hands kept flexing like he just wanted to squeeze. He reminded himself you were injured, and that he had to make sure not to let the wound get irritated anymore. The bacta would do its job but it would take longer if it was aggravated. </p><p>“Fuck, Mando,” you whispered, your head falling to his shoulder. “Feels so good.”</p><p>His eyes closed and he wrapped his arms around you. Your pussy felt so fucking good, he just wanted to buck his hips and feel more of you. All of his thoughts had been on the sensation of slipping inside of your cunt. But the word ‘Mando’ thrust him back into reality.</p><p>He wanted to hear you say his name.</p><p>The nickname never really bothered him, and it was an honor to be called a Mandalorian. But at that moment he just wanted to be Din Djarin. He physically bit his tongue to keep from saying it out loud. It was too soon, and he was holding onto guarding himself out of pure instinct. </p><p>But you were unraveling him. </p><p>You lifted your hips experimentally and sunk down again. The friction made his grip tighten. You responded in kind, arms wrapped around him as you started to roll your hips. Wet kisses moved over your shoulders, and when his hips thrust up a little you could hear the low grunts crawling out of his throat. </p><p>“C-couldn’t imagine,” he mumbled, “you’d want this.”</p><p>“I do,” you whispered, “I have wanted it.” </p><p>“Why didn’t you say,” he asked.</p><p>Your heart ached at how his voice cracked with unspoken emotion. “Same reason you di-didn’t.” </p><p>He breathed out a little laugh before it evolved into a groan, your cunt had spasmed around him as you felt yourself start to climb toward the precipice again. There was a vulnerability in his uncertainty, the beskar kept you at an arms-length but the way he let it be a buffer between him and the world always made him seem inaccessible. Unattainable. This soft desperation in his touches and the blurted confessions made you want to wrap yourself around him. </p><p>Funnily enough, wherever the two of you went he was seen as the protector, but here at this moment, he was asking you to keep a part of him safe. You were needy for touch only after a year or so without feeling the hands of a lover. What must it be like for a man who had been without it since childhood? </p><p>You gasped when his hands came to your hips and he started to help you ride him faster. Being this close to him you had just enough friction on your clit to start feeling the tension rise inside of you. He felt much the same, only holding out on coming because he was making a conscious effort to make this last. His hand moved from your hips back to your clit, it took him a moment to find a new rhythm with your hips moving at the same time but once he found it you were falling fast towards coming. </p><p>“You were be-beautiful today,” he told you, eyebrows furrowing for just a moment, “protecting us.” He grunted, “had to have you.”</p><p>You whined, incapable of finding any words to respond. Your mind was honed in on the feeling of his cock as you rode him there on the kot, and his fingers played at your clit. This orgasm was better anticipated but no less intense. You let out a throaty moan as your hips rolled, grinding and riding out the thrums of satisfaction rolling through you. Even you could feel as the walls of your cunt fluttered around him. The only thing more desperate than the way you rode him was the sound that left his throat when he started to thrust up into you, chasing after his own release. </p><p>His grip was hard enough to hurt in the most delicious way, and he grunted out enough warning for you to pull off of his cock just in time for his cum to land on your tummy and thighs. All he could do was stare at the mess he had made of you as he caught his breath, loving the sight and feeling his cock twitch. There was no way he could go again so quick but fuck, did he want to. </p><p>After getting his bearings, he grabbed that dirtied cloth again and wiped the mess from your body. You needed a shower but all you wanted to do was slump against him and fall asleep. </p><p>“Can we stay here like this… just for a minute?” you asked in a whisper. You weren’t sure what was next and were afraid to disturb the moment in case it was your last with him.</p><p>He didn’t say anything just pulled you in so you could rest against him. With your eyes covered it was easy to start to doze off a little bit. He was just warm and solid beneath you, his steady heartbeat and the way his thumb occasionally rubbed back and forth on your skin where he held you was so soothing. After a few moments, the angle started to hurt your back which was much better but a little sore. There was no way this position was comfortable for him either. </p><p>You pulled away silently and felt your way to the refresher with the blindfold still over your eyes. When you closed the refresher door you removed it and looked at yourself in the mirror, taking a deep breath. While washing off you prepared yourself for him to tell you it was a one-time thing, and for the sake of your working relationship, you willed yourself to at least present a happy face to him. You’d have to accept it regardless, no need to make it awkward. </p><p>When you came back out you covered your eyes, “all good in here? Are you decent?”</p><p>“Depends on the definition,” he replied, the vocoder hiding some of the mirth in his tone. </p><p>You swallowed and looked up to find him there now fully clothed with the helmet on. No other armor was donned but the familiar blank T shape was faced towards you. When he moved past you toward the refresher he reached out and gripped your hand before it slipped away and the door hissed closed. A small fire of hope bloomed in you, but you reminded yourself not to give in to it just yet. </p><p>You laid down on your stomach to avoid irritating the wound on your back. It didn’t take long before you to doze off again, this time for the rest of the evening as all the stress and pain and released the tension of the day took over. It felt a little like time travel when you woke up, you barely remembered falling asleep and suddenly there was a small green face very, very close to yours. The kid had climbed into bed with you, tilting his head in a way that strongly resembled Mando’s mannerisms. </p><p>Lifting yourself up you turned to your side so he came closer to you. From your new angle, you saw that Mando was sitting on the ground, leaning against your cot with his head tilted back. Judging by how still he was you assumed he was asleep, and to find him there instead of on his own kot made you feel your stomach do a flip. </p><p>You weren’t sure where any of this was going to go, but you were ready to go along for the ride.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you for reading!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading! You can find me on tumblr at www.ollypopp.tumblr.com if you have requests or questions.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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